AO final set: Alcaraz vs Djokovic after Sinner thriller and record-long semi

The AO final is locked in for early Sunday in the U.S.: alcaraz vs djokovic for the 2026 Australian Open men’s title, with history chasing both players. Novak Djokovic is one win from a record-breaking 25th major, while Carlos Alcaraz is one win from completing the career Grand Slam at age 22.

If you’re searching tennis score, australian open scores, ao live, ao live 2026, or “who won the tennis last night,” the biggest results were the men’s semifinals: Djokovic outlasted Jannik Sinner in five sets, and Alcaraz survived a tournament-record marathon against Alexander Zverev.

AO final start time and viewing

The men’s championship match is scheduled to start Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 at 3:30 a.m. ET in Melbourne. In the U.S., the tournament is carried by the long-time national rightsholder on its main sports channel, with a Spanish-language simulcast on a sister network and streaming available through the same family of apps/services. For “what channel is the australian open on,” your local listings will show the exact channel numbers by provider.

Here’s the quick scoreboard-style snapshot for mens finals ao, plus the key semis that set it up:

That also covers “tennis tonight” and “tennis today” questions in U.S. time: the final is the big overnight watch in ET.

Djokovic vs Sinner: the match everyone stayed up for

The mens semi final australian open between djokovic vs sinner delivered the exact chaos the rivalry promises. Djokovic entered having recently struggled against Sinner, but he flipped the script—saving break points under heavy pressure and closing out a fifth set that swung on a handful of ruthless points.

If you’re asking “what time did djokovic match end” or “what time did the tennis finish last night,” the semifinal wrapped around 9:32 a.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 30, after running four hours and nine minutes. That late finish is why searches for live tennis scores and tennis live were spiking for hours.

The bigger headline for djokovic australian open 2026: this win put him into an 11th Australian Open final, still unbeaten in Melbourne finals.

Alcaraz survives a five-hour test

Alcaraz’s semifinal was a grind that looked like it might end multiple times—and didn’t. The match ran 5 hours 27 minutes, the longest men’s semifinal in tournament history, and it featured cramps, momentum shifts, and a fifth-set turnaround that kept the arena on edge.

For fans tracking ao live and “tennis results today,” it was the kind of match that alters a tournament: it doesn’t just send a player to the final, it changes what “fresh legs” means two days later.

What the final means for history

A win Sunday would give Djokovic 25 majors, moving him alone at the top in men’s singles. If you’re asking “how many grand slams has djokovic won,” he sits at 24 heading into this match. That ties the all-time singles major record held by Margaret Court (24). In the Open Era, Djokovic is already the men’s record-holder, but this match is about separating from everyone.

Alcaraz, meanwhile, is chasing the one major missing from his résumé. If he wins, he becomes the youngest man to complete the career Grand Slam, and the “new era” becomes official in Melbourne.

For the “longest grand slam tennis match” crowd: the benchmark many fans still cite is the 2012 Australian Open final that lasted 5:53, a reminder that Melbourne can produce matches that feel like endurance sport.

Sinner, Shelton, Ruud: what “last night” also covered

Even with the spotlight on the final, the tournament’s other most-searched threads were tied to the quarterfinal path:

• sinner vs shelton: Sinner beat Ben Shelton 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the semifinals.

• ruud vs shelton / shelton vs ruud: Shelton beat Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to set up the Sinner matchup.

If you’re checking atp rankings, Sinner has been listed at world No. 2 during this run, while Alcaraz has held No. 1. For “sinner age” and “jannik sinner age,” he was born Aug. 16, 2001 (24 years old during this tournament). For “how old is djokovic” and “novak age,” Djokovic is 38 this week.

Off-court searches also spiked: “djokovic wife” and “novak djokovic wife” refer to Jelena Djokovic. “jannik sinner girlfriend” remains largely speculation-driven—there hasn’t been a new, clearly confirmed public update tied to the tournament.

Former champions Martina Navratilova and Lindsay Davenport have also been part of the conversation around this final’s stakes: a generational clash, and a rare moment where records and legacy are directly on the line.

Sources consulted: Australian Open, ATP Tour, Associated Press, Reuters